—ING, in the middle or end of a name means “sons of.” A final ling is also a patronymic when the name ends in ol or ele. Thus Donnington is the settlement of the sons of Donna, and as Didling or Dudelyng in Sussex (with 13th century forms of Dedling and Dedlinge) was derived from Dyddeling as descendants of Dyddel, this may throw some light on Detling in Kent. —MERE = lake, or gemæru boundary. Lakes are few in Kent, so Baddlesmere may indicate a boundary, while Mereworth (anciently Marewe) may indicate neither. Mearesflete in Thanet, and Mere, a manor in Rainham, may point to a personal name. Walmer is said to be named from the marshy ground behind the Wall, or old raised beach, which begins by Walmer Castle. Brōc = a brook, as in the dialects of Kent and Sussex, also low-lying ground, not necessarily with running water. So Brook, and Brookland, and Kidbrook. Burna = stream. So Bourne, Littlebourne, etc. Cnoll = hillock (Cnol in Welsh and knöl in Swedish). So Knole, and perhaps Knockholt. Cop = a top or head, German kopf. Our Copt Point. Cumb, or comb = a hollow in a hillside, or a narrow valley. So Ulcombe. A word borrowed from the Celtic. Dell = low ground or valley. Hence Deal. Ēā = water, river. So Stur-ea, now Sturry, or watery land. So probably Romney, from Ruimea. But ey also is īēg, or ēg = an island. Sceapige, now Isle of Sheppey. Denu is a valley, and denn a retreat, but these often interchange in early forms with dun, which survives in our downs, and Down, the village. Ford.—Here we have to distinguish between the Saxon ford (a natural place-name when bridges as yet were few), and fiord, which is purely coastal, and comes from our Norse marauders. Thus Ashford and Deptford come from quite different words. Grāf, in Saxon, is our grove, so that Ashgrove is pure Saxon, Æsc-graf. Heall means a hall, or larger house, and may be simply the Latin aula, especially as place-names ending in hall are more frequent near Roman centres. But there is also halk, a corner or angle, which may suit other places. Our several Whitehalls would indicate the former word. The Saxon HEATH survives unaltered in some cases, and also as Hoath, and perhaps as Hoth in Hothfield. Hlinc, a slope, accounts for the Linch and Linchfield in Detling, a cultivated slope at the foot of the Downs. More common in Sussex. Golfers will recognise the word. Hōh = a hough or heel of land, whence our Hundred of Hoo. Hyrcg is our ridge, and names Eridge, and Colbridge, and Sundridge. Hyll = our hill, partly names many places, Bosehill, Hinxhill, Maze Hill, Ide Hill, etc.; but I think there are more in Sussex, where Roberts enumerates forty-eight. Mersc = march—whence Stodmarsh, Burmarsh, Mersham, Westmarsh, Marshton. Ofer and Ora are difficult to distinguish in use, the former meaning bank or shore and the latter bank of a stream. Bilnor and Oare may come from the former, and Bicknor and Denover (on the Beult) from the latter.